Hazard from Highly Ionizing Radiation in Space

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Abstract
In evaluating the hazard from a source of mixed radiation, it is necessary to determine the importance of the highly ionizing component. Calculations are presented that indicate the importance of this component in the solar-particle radiation environment within a space capsule. Shielding thickness and particle spectrum shape both are important in determining the extent of the hazard. The concept of fractional cell lethality (FCL), the fractional number of cells inactivated in an organ, is introduced to circumvent the inherent disadvantages in the Quality Factor concept when applied to the evaluation of the space radiation hazard. It is shown as an example that up to 7% of the kidney cells in a seated astronaut could have been inactivated during the giant solar-particle event of 12 November 1960. Information on accumulated damage to critical nonreproducing cells, such as neural or retinal cells, is lacking. Perhaps such damage will constitute the bulk of the hazard for space missions of long duration, in which case the FCL concept may provide a sound basis for evaluating the hazard on these missions.[long dash]Authors.

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